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Centralised state Developing states reform 1980s- pressure from IMF, UN, WB and donor countries Motivations for decentralisation:  Policies and programmes can be tailored to better reflect local needs  The transparency and accountability of public affairs can be increased  Democracy can broadened through increased participation by the population But the motivations can be far from ideal … Decentralisation

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Types of Decentralisation Approach to decentralisation Institutional Legal Framework Key ActorsOpportunities for citizen engagement Example Country Deconcentrati on Transfer of the personnel from national level to local admin. offices Government and locally placed technical advisors Relatively poor. Where central bureaucrats are relocated little space is created for increased public participation Cambodia Delegation Limited transfer of decision- making over funding and policy to local government, acting as agents to the central government Local semi- autonomous representatives and agencies, eg. public forestry administrations Dependent on whether the agents at the local level are publicly elected, or whether they are relocated from central government Senegal Devolution Transfer of resources, responsibility and decision- making to the local political level Locally elected councillors, mayors and representatives, outside of direct control of central government Most access created for pubic where autonomous representatives engaged in decision- making work closely with local communities Uganda, Malawi

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Devolution Types of DevolutionFormal ArrangementsKey Actors Administrative where the implementation of centrally-determined policy and programmes are put into the hands of the local agents admin staff whose terms of employment are defined by local government Constitutional where local authorities have a say in national policy-making local authorities and/or elected representatives Fiscal where sub-national tiers either have the autonomy to implement taxes for revenue and/or where they control a significant proportion of total government spending Local authorities and/or elected representatives with the oversight of central government

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The Risks of Decentralisation Decentralisation can enable clientelistic patterns of state- society relations Decentralisation can create opportunities for state capture Decentralisation can exacerbate disparities Decentralisation and Conflict: mixed perspectives

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Shaping the outcomes of Decentralisation National Leaders Motivations National Institutional Arrangements Local Government Space for Public Participation Power Relations Accountability Capacity Local Gov. Power Relations Local State- Society relations Outcomes Local Gov. Interests Local Gov. Capacity Civil Society Capacity Civil Society Power Relations Civil Society Interests The importance of Context

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National Institutional Arrangements: The legal framework Define the responsibilities being transferred (e.g. fiscal, political, administrative) Define the legal status of sub-national governments (e.g. degree of autonomy, accountability channels, requirements for elections, requirements for public participation National Leaders Motivations National Institutional Arrangements Power Relations Capacity Shaping the outcomes of Decentralisation

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Local State-Society Arrangements Determined by interactions between Local Government and Civil Society Influence decentralisation outcomes at the local level Local Government Space for Public Participation Accountability Local Gov. Power Relations Local State- Society Arrangements Local Gov. Interests Local Gov. Capacity Civil Society Capacity Civil Society Power Relations Civil Society Interests Shaping the outcomes of Decentralisation Outcomes

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Decentralisation in Practice How far the observed outcomes diverge? Does it increase public participation Does it increase accountability Does it reduce disparities What can be learned?

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Does it reduce disparity? Poverty, not very positive in Uganda Gender, very positive in Cambodia, Uganda, Rwanda, ---- but not in the case of South Africa Ethnic, yes for Nigeria, not really in Indonesia

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It is not one size fit all approach NGO’s and Civil Societies can play a significant role Effective decentralisation requires effective state Conclusion: What can we learn?

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It is not one size fit all approach NGO’s and Civil Societies can play a significant role Effective decentralisation requires effective state Thank you for your attention, questions welcome Conclusion: What can we learn?